This invention relates to fabricating cables and in particular to locating the position for inserting an element attached to the end of a conductor of the cable in a cable connector during fabrication.
Insertion of pins and sockets into cable connectors in the manufacture of cables has heretofore been a manual process using a hand tool. The hand tool was either a plier-like or screwdriver-like device adapted to hold a pin or socket for manual insertion of the pin or socket into a cable connector. Using either of these hand tools is fatiguing as a force of approximately 222 newtons (50 pounds) is required to insert a pin or socket into the cable connector. These hand tools will accommodate a pin or socket with or without a conductor connected.
A manually operated press in the prior art is available to insert pins or sockets into cable connectors. However, the prior art press will accommodate only pins or sockets without conductors attached. The press reduces fatigue by providing a mechanical advantage to the operator thereby reducing the force required to insert a pin or socket into the cable connector.
When fabricating a cable, pins crimped onto one end of the cable conductors are inserted into a cable connector at that end while sockets crimped onto the other end of the cable conductors are inserted into a cable connector at that end of the cable. The pins or sockets inserted into the cable connector of the first end of the cable can be inserted without regard to location. However, when fabricating the second end of a cable, it is imperative that the location of a pin or socket in the cable connector for a given conductor corresponds to the location of the socket or pin in the cable connector for the same conductor in the first end of the cable.
Heretofore, when fabricating the second end of a cable, the appropriate location to insert a pin or socket into a cable connector was determined in the following manner. The first lead of a battery operated buzzer wired in series with a battery was placed in contact with a pin or socket in the completed cable connector of the first end of the cable. The second lead of the buzzer-battery combination was randomly placed in contact with each of the sockets or pins not inserted in a cable connector on the uncompleted second end of the cable until the buzzer sounded, signifying continuity. The socket or pin to be inserted into the cable connector of the second end of the cable was thus identified. The appropriate location to insert the socket or pin corresponds to the location of the pin or socket in the completed first end of the cable that is in contact with the first lead of the buzzer-battery combination.
A need exists for a method and apparatus to rapidly identify the physical location for insertion of a pin or socket into a cable connector at the second end of a cable during cable fabrication. The apparatus would eliminate the randomness formerly associated with determining the appropriate location for insertion of a pin or socket thereby reducing the time required to manufacture a cable.